Eurocopter EC-135-T1, Air Methods Corp, N200UP: Incident occurred December 29, 2016 in Coaldale, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

AIR METHODS CORP: http://registry.faa.gov/N200UP

FAA Flight Standards District Office: HARRISBURG

HELICOPTER STRUCK POWERLINES WHILE LANDING AT ST LUKE HOSPITAL, COALDALE, PENNSYLVANIA

Date: 29-DEC-16
Time: 07:15:00Z
Regis#: N200UP
Aircraft Make: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Model: EC135
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: AMBULANCE
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 135
City: COALDALE
State: PENNSYLVANIA

A PennSTAR helicopter such as this one contacted power lines early in the morning of December 29, 2016, outside St. Luke's Hospital in Coaldale, Schuylkill County.

A PennSTAR helicopter landing early Thursday morning at St. Luke's Hospital in Schuylkill County struck power lines, knocking out power, St. Luke's University Health Network said in a news release.

The helicopter was able to land safely about 2:20 a.m. and none of the personnel on board was injured, the hospital system said.

No patients were on the helicopter and the patient who was going to be picked up at the Coaldale hospital was transported by ambulance.

"There was no disruption in patient care," the hospital network said.

Power was restored by 9 a.m.

There was some external damage to the helicopter, PennSTAR Program Director Bob Higgins said in an email.

"But the aircraft landed with full power and control which indicates dynamic flight components were operational," he said in an email. "Very skilled and high flight time pilot."

PennSTAR often flies to the hospital, he said.

PennSTAR provides "critical care" transportation through the air and on the road within 100 miles of Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, its website says. The helicopter is owned and operated by Metro Aviation, St. Luke's said.

The Federal Aviation Administration didn't immediately have information to release on the incident, a spokesman said.

"The aircraft owner and operator, Metro Aviation, follows the published FAA reporting mandate regulations and will solely determine next steps," Higgins wrote.

St. Luke's University Health Network is based in Fountain Hill.

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